Barrel length for .300 Winchester Magnum

[AKBman]

I have been shooting a Ruger M77 MKII with the funky Zytel stock for 4 years now, as a hunting rifle it is first rate. I have on occasion fired some really good groups with it, numerous times I have been able to cover 3 shots with a nickle or a quarter at 200 meters. Now I want more, and I am wondering if it is worth it to go to a 26" barrel, this one has about 1700 rounds through it, and shows no signs of throat erosion, but if it is worth it, I may rebarrel with a 26" one. Also, since I swapped for a Rem. 700 BDL in 22-250, that has a 2lb trigger, I am having a hell of a time shooting the Ruger, I love my Ruger, but the trigger stinks, and no one around here gives me any confidence to work on it. I am in the Air Force, and am about to embark upon a one year unaccompanied tour to Egypt, when I return, I will be going back to New Mexico, I want an intermediate range (500-700yds) rifle. I load 200gr Nosler Partitions now, with healthy doses of IMR7828, and the Ruger lets me seat the bullets out a fair amount. For that kind of range, what power optics do I need? My interest has done nothing but increased.

 

[sakofan]

You are going back to N.M., to be restationed, or you are from there?
I was stationed at Cannon for 2 and a half years.
My daughter was born there.
Sorry, cant help you with your Winnie.
But, if you got a shooter, get a new rifle, or action, and start a project rifle, and leave the 300 alone.
Whats your AFSC????

 

[AKBman]

I am being reassigned to Holloman, I was stationed there before coming here to Alaska. Volunteered to do my second remote now, in hopes of staying here in Alaska afterwards, but as they are over manned at my skill level, I asked to go back to Holloman. I am a 2A372, F-16, F-117, F-22, CV-22, or Predator UAV Flightline Avionics.
As for the Ruger, it shoots, but the trigger is horrible, may look at an aftermarket, but I have heard some bad things about them too.

 

[sakofan]

Been to Alamogordo many times, in route to Juarez...Yehaw!!!
Seems like a million years ago.
I was a Transportation, Vehicle Maint. 47252
Thats a nice area for lopes and big mulies, you ever hunt them when you were there?
I booked a hunt in Raton this year. Ive not been to the state of N.M. since '86...
Get the trigger reworked on the Ruger, or get the aftermarket one, like a Jewel or Timney......sakofan...
Does the Remmy have the factory trigger reworked, or changed out??

 

[AKBman]

The Remington has a reworked factory trigger, it is too light for my taste, but it will shoot a .38" group at 200 meters, should do quite well on them New Mexico coyotes. I have been to Cannon TDY, a little on the flat side for me, and not enough public land. I see you are in S. Carolina, are you near Shaw? I went to high school there back in the early 80's. I did do some mulie hunting around Holloman, but did not connect, what I really want is a nice antelope, and a coues deer, being born in Oregon, I have chased my share of mule deer, my favorite animal of all is the elk. Thanks for the trigger advise.

 

[sakofan]

Yeah, a little flat!!! I thought the N.M> state tree was a telephone pole!!!
I live near Charlotte, N.C., not near Sumter.
Cannon had F-111D's when I was there, I think they switched to F-15's???
2 pounds is a little light for a hunting rifle, I prefer 2 and a half.
I have been in the same place you are with a rifle, wanting to inprove it and all.
With that many rounds through it, I would probably invest in a new project rifle.
Optics, I really like the Zeiss Conquest series for a number off reasons, especially for hunting.I went w/ the 3.5x10x44 and have been really pleased, you may or may not need more power for the shots you are looking at taking.....sakofan.

 

[jcpython357]

AKBman, Fly, Fight, Win. is that still our motto. Bitburg 21/2 yrs, Nellis 8yrs, after the gulfwar, early retirirment. Got a buddy that works for the German AF at Holloman, Ron Storm. I'd probably put a Timney trigger on that Ruger cuz I know how it is to have one trigger lighter then the next, I can forward you my instructions on how to adjust your Remington trigger if you like, really easy, [email protected], don't touch that barrel if it shoots that good, unless your velocity is way down, my old Hornady manual shows where they put 2000 rds through a 7Mag. and after the 2000 it lost about 200fps, yours maybe not that bad, if you know someone with a Chronograph, see how close the velocity is to the manual your using. That 200grainer can't be the flatest shooting bullet, ever try 178gr A-Max, or 180gr MK? Guys on this forum use'em all the time with great success. Everybody knows I'm the Burris man, so I'll tell ya to check out a 4-16 Signature or Black Diamond, excellent scopes that won't break your bank. Do you mean when you get back to Holloman you'd like to get a new rifle for that range? 260Rem. 708, 308, or 30-06. 7mmWSM or 300WSM will give you a little more range. Good Luck, Jay Gorski, SSGT, Retired(early)64550

 

[AKBman]

Thanks again for the advice. I am planning on sticking with the Ruger, and in the .300 Win mag configuration, as I have a deep fondness for both. Once I leave Alaska, I will switch back to the 180gr bullet variety, and I want to try the 190gr Match Kings, the 200s fly pretty flat, as my velocities are only 140fps slower than when I shoot 180s. I have a Burris scope on my 22-250, and I am very pleased with it, will definitely consider Burris when I get back, the rifle now has a 2.5x8x36 Leupold on it, but at 400 yards it starts to get hard to see a 10" target.

 

[sakofan]

AKBman...my Sako 300WM, is as fickle of a rifle as they come.
Seems like whatever someone elses likes, mine hates.
The only bullet he gets a hard on for is the 150, 180gr. MK....They simply rock in that rifle.....sakofan..

 

[AKBman]

Mine seems to like anything, as long as it is going at maximum velocity, it doesn't like reduced loads at all. I just went back through my load notes, and it would seem that I have exagerated the number of rounds through this particular rifle, forgot about my friends Remington that I worked up loads for, and loaded for him(he did the loading, I did the coaching), mine has had around 1000 by my best estimate. I run a Dillon RL550B setup, and get hundreds of requests from people wanting me to load ammo for them, I usually have them load it undermy watcheful eye, ensuring strict adherance to load data.

 

[sakofan]

AKBman...have you hunted up there in Alaska?
I would love to check it out.
Dad was in Alaska, Elmendorf, after he contracted hepitis in Vietnam.
He was with Red Horse over there in the bad place.....sakofan...

 

[AKBman]

I connected with a beautiful grizzly last fall, not exactly a challenge for the .300, he was only 82 yards away, and I connected with some caribou, but no moose. I had wanted to go down to SE Alaska and do some black tail hunting, but either didn't have the time, or the funds. With all of the 4 wheelers here, you just about have to spend some dough to fly out and get away from the competition, making it expensive even for a resident, it is the same as the lower 48, only the game densities here are not very high. I really miss deer and elk hunting, much more my style.

 

[texas]

Seem as thought you need to be somewhere around ID,MT maybe even UT. Do wish you the best of luck wherever the AF sends you. Moved me around too much. IL,UK,AR and back to the UK 57150.

 

[AKBman]

I enjoyed Hill AFB in Utah, beautiful area, just way too crowded for me. Having lived and hunted in the area of New Mexico I am going to, I have a few sweet spots that require more hiking than the average road hunter is willing to do. I would have liked Idaho, as it would be close to home in NE Oregon.